I am a candidate for bi-lateral resurfacing. My left hip is very bad and the other is not too far behind it.

I have to decide whether to get one hip done in a few weeks and the second hip done in another 3 months or wait and get them both done together 3 months from now (I can't get them both done together at the earlier date due to surgery scheduling issues).

I was hoping to get some input on the pros and cons of having both done together at a later date vs. having one done now and the other in a few months.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Personally if it were me id get them done 12 weeks apart. The op will be less of a shock to your body and when you havr the second op your new hip will be reasonably strong one strong hip and one weak hip is surely easier to recover from than 2 in the same weak post op state?
Danny

I did them with a three month separation and that worked great for me; I had no choice, as my surgeon doesn't do simultaneous.

Other folks here have had same day or separated by a few days, and did great also, with a slightly more difficult early recovery, but the same great result later.

I couldn't really recommend one or the other based on results, as Danny mentioned, for me having one strong leg to support the other helped, but I also did have to do the whole routine twice. No help here, I think both approaches are fine.

The only thing that might get me to choose one then another in your particular situation is that you can get one done now. No more pain in that one.

Otherwise, we have some very happy same day bilats here.

Thanks for the input.

One of my main concerns is how long I will be out of commission, work-wise. I'm an independent web-developer, so I don't get paid when I don't work. Any input in terms of how long a person is unable to work as far as after the surgery of one hip vs. two at the same time? (I only need to be able to work from my laptop)

My thinking is that having two separate surgeries makes my work downtime twice as long. Am I right in this line of thinking?

My doctor would not do both at the same time either. Partially is because once one side is done they have to roll you back over on that side to do the other. To much for the newly operated hip. I went back to work after two weeks. Mostly computer stuff sitting down. Could of gone back sooner if it were a laptop and could do it from home.

Quote from: IslandCatt on August 24, 2012, 01:26:31 PM
Thanks for the input.

One of my main concerns is how long I will be out of commission, work-wise. I'm an independent web-developer, so I don't get paid when I don't work. Any input in terms of how long a person is unable to work as far as after the surgery of one hip vs. two at the same time? (I only need to be able to work from my laptop)

My thinking is that having two separate surgeries makes my work downtime twice as long. Am I right in this line of thinking?

I also work in computers, have been a consultant quite a few times, etc.

I went back to work after five weeks, but that was partly due to being a full time employee, fully paid long term disability, etc.  I was back posting pretty quickly, but work is a different matter entirely.

I would think you could be back working fairly quickly, two, maybe three weeks, but a couple of suggestions:

• The first two weeks you really need to be healing, exercising, etc. - no cheating.
• When you begin working, make sure you keep up with icing, walking, exercise and sleep. Your main job is healing, if you don't want the recuperation to drag out.
• You will be exhausted; plan on it, maybe work in an hour nap within the working time
• The position you get using a laptop on your lap forces you to sit still and immobile - maybe get a table or something to fully rest the laptop on so you can shift, move, etc.
• At two weeks, hopefully you are on one stick, so you can move the laptop without much problem.
• Maybe on your workstation setup, put a docking station on it so you don't have to bend for wires, power cables, etc.
• Make time for icing and walking. I know engineers, we are too focused, hours can pass by without moving much - this will cause you problems if unchecked. I set up an alarm every 20 minutes to force me to move.
• The time of limitations is not long. I probably could have gone back to work at three or four weeks if I had to, so by the time five weeks come along, should be no problem.

I was driving by two, three weeks. If you have to visit clients, make it clear that you're coming for small visits, not hours, until you can do more. At first I could only do 10, 20 minute runs; or just do Skype if you need to. Again, this increases quickly.

Having been in your shoes, I know how anxious I got when I had any down time (worst patient EVER), but in this, you need to give primacy to healing. Once the healing gets started, you'll be psyched at how quickly it improves.

And you are right - two separate surgeries will take longer out of your work, but no that much longer, since the healing for a simultaneous bilat takes a little bit longer, and you may not be fit to work fully for a little bit longer also.

My doc wouldn't do bilat same event.  He says he used to but he doesn't think the time off work is much different.  If you have to follow FMLA standards (US) then your work muight not let you come back to work regardless of what you do, until you have a note from your doc.  Usually the doc will say no work for 2 weeks for a single surgery.  Not sure what the same event bi-lats usually get (3-4 weeks, maybe?).  Being independent, you probably don't have to fuss with that.

Mine were seperated by 6 months.  I was extremely happy to have a solid, healthy new hip to use during my second recovery.  During recovery of no. one, I would occassionally gauge when I thought my hip would be ready to support the other side.  I didn't really feel confident about my operated hip for at least 3 months.  Partly that might be from my busy-ness during recovery.  I have a hard time sitting still and I was happy to use the good hip hard while recovering on the operated hip, even during the initial two weeks.  I probably should have laid low a little more.     

On the other hand, getting them both done at once, will relieve you of a second run of anxiety or stress before surgery.  Maybe this wasn't that helpful.  I'm sort of torn, now.  I sometimes think same event would have been good.  Punctuated, like have having twins, and not just the birth.  Been there done that, but as a father.   

Great replies.

I think I'm going to go with the first one in a couple of weeks and the second one a few months later.

Thanks for all the input. Really appreciate it.

I think that's the best call. My first couple of weeks were brutal. I can't imagine if I'd had both done at the same time. I'd say waiting at least 90 days is the best plan of action.

Hi, I begged for mine to be done on the same day. Reason being, had no "Good side" to support anyway, plus did not want to have to endure two lots of surgery, or think it wasn`t all over yet. My surgeon had done 4 simultaneous bi lats that year, others two weeks apart. I wasn`t allowed to drive for 6 weeks, but spent a lot of time on my laptop. You do get tired after the trauma your body goes through, need to nap plus do the exercises.
Crutches for 6 weeks too. My personal advice would be to get them both fixed together, far less upheaval in the long run!

The problem is that most hospitals don't have a plan for what to do with bilateral patients.  They send you home in 2 or 3 days just like a single sided patient leaving you without a leg to stand on.  My surgery was at NYU Joint Disease Hospital with rehab at NYU Rusk Rehab hospital.  I was in the hospital for 9 days total with PT 3 times a day and with nurses and aids to help me.  I walked out of there on the morning of the ninth day using just one cane.  Bilateral patients obviously go through a lot more and need more help.  I can't imagine being sent home after 3 days.  If you are thinking of bilaterals, I would make sure that your hospital has a clear plan including your rehab.  Don't let the surgeon paint a rosy picture with ''sure I do bilaterals'' and ''don't worry, you'll be fine''. You need a clear plan.

Woodstock is absolutely spot on as usual!
I was also in hospital for 9 days, they took great care about every aspect. Also had PT twice a day.

Update: I had the unilateral hip surgery on Sept 12 and was home on the 15. I am very glad I decided to have only one done (my surgeon also encouraged this). I've got a couple of flights of stairs to go up and down several times per day and I can't imagine having to do that without one "good" hip.

I definitely wasn't prepared for how much I was going to have to be babying that hip after getting out of the hospital... can't imagine having to do that with both at the same time.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who offered advice.

that's great - congrats on getting the hip done. How are you feeling now?

Congrats!  You'll be well prepared for #2 now.  Good luck with getting back to work.  I took six weeks off, but that's only because I could.  I did enjoy it, though.

Excellent.  I think this is a good way to go.  Thanks for the update, sounds like it's going well.